Subcortical influences upon prefrontal cortex of the cat.

Extracellular unit recordings were obtained from the prefrontal cortex (CPF) of free-moving cats with the head fixed. The prevailing effect produced by electrical stimulation of dorsal amygdala (AD) and N. medialis dorsalis thalami (DM) was a decrease in the spontaneous activity of CPF neurons, while lateral hypothalamus (HL) stimulation produced an increase. Concurrent electrical stimulation of HL and DM, and HL and AD produces suppression of the effect induced by HL single stimulation. Basal amygdala (AB) and DM simultaneous stimulation produces suppression of DM single stimulation.